Friday, May 2, 2014

So. This has been a long post coming, basically after quite a few years of what I thought was adult acne, I found out I have perioral dermatitis. Which is pretty similar, but needs to be addressed in a different manner. All this time I thought I had some kind of adult acne, or hormonal acne, been to two dermatologist, and have been treating my "acne" with the standard benzyl peroxide, salicylic acid, and even RX like benzaclin, azelic gel, differin, and others.

AH ACNE/ Perioral dermatitis is so frustrating! For the longest time I couldn't stand not wearing makeup, like if anyone was going to see me, I had to be wearing foundation & coverup. But finally my skin is clearing up, and I am becoming more comfortable with my skin, and how I look.

Anyways I will try to keep this short, and wont go into too much detail about what exactly it is, basically it is a rash that usually women ages 20-40 get, looks like acne, usually shows up only around the mouth, nose, and neck. Kindof like a mix between acne & eczema.

Sorry I didn't post pictures of what is looks like (I couldn't find any pictures that looked like mine), It can get pretty intense, mine is definitely on the mild size, I have a bit of redness, and I will get little to medium bumps, that look like acne, and sometimes feel like cystic acne. I figure if you got it you know you got it, and if you think you have adult acne, check with your dermatologist because like me, you might have Perioral dermatitis.

Anyways here is a list of what I am recently using (some were sent to me to review, I will link the full reviews below, and my opinions as always are my own) Also these links are not affilate links, jsut links to help you find what I am talking about :), let me know if you have any questions!

Makeup

AVOID: Bismuth Oxycholoride, talc, parabens, paraffin, petrolatum,

For makeup you want to stick to something non commedigenic, oil-free, fragrance free, and natural. Mineral makeup is awesome, as long as it doesn't have any

My personal favorite from BWC would have to be their liquid foundation! I have VERY fair skin, and have trouble finding makeup that is light enough for my skin tone (often it is too pink or dark) I was seriously freaking out when I saw how PERFECT their sheer foundation is, matched me just perfect, and offers full coverage, so if you have red skin and spots (common with perioral dermatitis) your skin will be fully covered. Love using their lipstick as a cream blush (just dot onto skin and rub in)! Loved everything from them, love the companies story and all they have to offer! Check out my full review (Here)

So I personally LOVE Rejuva's lipcrayon. It is the best eyeliner I have used ever! Seriously, and the fact that is all natural and vegan is amazing! I also LOVE their powdered foundation (in nude) if I am going out to a fancy event, pr just wanting a polished look (also works great as a setting powder over any liquid/ cream foundation! Their bronzers are perfect too, not to dark or sparkly, just solid color with a natural look. Very excited about trying out more from this company! You can read my full review for Rejuva minerals (Here).

Shampoo & Conditioner

AVOID: SLS! (any sulfates, Sodium Laureth/ Lauryl Sulfate)
Shampoos for me are the hardest to find! I would not consider myself very picky, but when it comes to chemicals, I want something pretty natural! I tried the whole "no poo" thing, both ACV & baking soda along with castille soap, and pretty much hated both methods. These shops offer my FAVORITE shampoos (along with haircare products & some even have body products, bodywash make sure it is SLS free too!) Check out what I am trying and loving right now!

I love LOVE this brand! So many fun formulas. I love to use anything argan oil, they have the most AWESOME leave in conditioner/ finishing spray, smells like lemon and a little bit of aftershave, so good! If you are looking for clarify your scalp and remove buildup, be sure to try the lemongrass line, and if you want to treat damaged colored hair, try the moroccan argan oil line! I use both and love them! Read my full review (HERE)

I am LOVING this shampoo, after using the shampoo and the spray therapy my hair is super sleek and soft. My husband noticed a difference, (which he doesn't notice usually) when I started using these products, it has been his favorite so far.

Love Henna Dream! You can use henna as a natural hairdye, and be sure to checkout their natural shampoo and conditioner!

I love that the shampoo and conditioner are made from castor oil and shea butter, this shampoo and conditioner will moisturize your hair and soften it, leaving it super silky and smooth! Plus I love using their lavender oil on my face, and for aromatherapy to relieve stress and help me sleep! See my full review (HERE)

Loving the fragrance free body lotion, just a simple but effective like all of BWC products! The lotion contains sunflower oil and safflower oil, both are great for acne prone skin, and some of my favorite oils!

Their shampoo and conditioner are scented with rosemary and mint, leaving you smelling fresh, clean and a bit earthy! Love that their products are vegetarian, 100% pure, SLS free, paraben free, with no syntheic fragrances!

Sunscreen

Mineral sunscreen by Kissmyface

AVOID: Chemical sunscreens, oil based,

For people with perioral dermamtis, you want to stick to all natural mineral sunscreen (look for the active ingredient to be Zinc Oxide or even Titanium Dioxide as these ingredients are not irritating to your skin, and they sit on-top of skin, instead of chemical sunscreens which soak into the skin. Zinc oxide is AMAZING for skin as it actually soothes skin.

I personally love the spray sunscreen, as I often am running out the door, with makeup on, and last minute need to add sunscreen without ruining my makeup, super simple! Spray, pat and go. I also reviewed all three sunscreen, you can see my review (Here)

Chapstick & lipgloss:

AVOID: Petrolatum, parafin,

Before I found out I had Perioral Dermatits, I used to just use plain old petroleum jelly, I liked that it was cheap, simple, and smoothing. I am not a huge lipgloss fan, definitely more of a chapstick/ tinted balm girl.

When shopping for lipbalm, try to stay away from any petrolatum, parrafin, and anything else irritating to the skin, I try to stay away from vaseline now, and stick to anything all natural. Just be really careful to makesure your lipbalm stays on your lips, and doesn't get wiped onto your face, because although your lips might be ok with using beeswax, lanolin and other moisturizing ingredients, these may worsen your rash if spread to your face.

Love that these are both sheer not colored lipbalms, and that they are super smooth and not waxy at all.

Face creams & treatments

AVOID:

Parabens, paraffin, fragrances, ect.So I have been trying to be as simple with my skin care routine as I can. I have been staying away from any chemicals, any fragrances, and benzyl peroxide and saliciyc acid (some people CAN use but for some it can irritate skin further.The only things I have been using on my face are, raw honey (to wash), tea tree oil (spot treat) & lavender essential oil (to sooth), calendula cream (all over treat & heal) and aloe vera gel.

Calendula cream (click here to shop)
Oh my goodness, I LOVE THIS STUFF! For me this has been a lifesaver! I have tried everything on my skin, ACV, tea tree oil, honey, even rxs but nothing has cleared up my skin as much as this, seriously in love! Very soothing, anti-inflammatory, and heals skin/ scars, and clears up redness and acne. LOVE it! I would reccomend this product if you are looking for something that will help your perioral dermatitis, without being too strong! See my full review (HERE)

Lavender essential oil (click here to shop)
LOVE this essential oil, obviously it is Wonderful for perioral dermatitis and any skin inflammation, but it is also awesome for stress, depression, and anxiety. (Which can make peroiral dermatitis worse!) Aromatherapy is a all natural way to help relieve stress, calm nerves, and help you cope with perioral dermatitis.

Basically thats all you need to know, you can make your own toothpaste, or tick to something all natural, that is fluoride and SLS free! You can buy this kind of toothpaste online, at a drugstore, or your local health food store.

Henna powder (click here to shop)
If you are looking for a all natural substitute for your regular hairdye, you can try Henna Dream's hair dye, no chemicals, all natural henna, so you can be sure you are not making your perioral dermatitis worse! You can check out my full review for more info on henna for your hair!

Morning regimen:

Lemon Juice----

In the morning, I usually start by wetting my face with just a little warm water. I then get a cotton ball soaked in lemon juice and dab the juice on any blemishes and discoloration.

Honey---
After the lemon juice I mix a little bit of raw honey with water (or you can use it plain, but I like adding a drop of water to make it spread evenly) and rub that all over my face, I then pretend like it is a face wash and really rub it into my skin, focusing on any breakout prone areas. After I wash my face for about 2 minutes, I either wash the honey off, or if I have a late morning, I like to leave the honey on as a face mask, for 30 mins or so. (I usually leave my face mask on while I clean the house, or get everyone breakfast, but if you want you could do this at night if that is easier for you.

ACV & Witch Hazel---
After I wash off the honey with cool water, I pat my face dry then get out my homemade toner. Super easy all I do is mix about 1:3 part witch hazel, 1:3 Apple Cider Vinegar (raw/ unfiltered) to 1:3 water mixed with a few drops off tea tree oil. I mix everything up then soak cotton pads in a jar of the mix, but you can store them separate if you prefer.

Aloe Vera---
After the toner dries a bit, I rub on a dime size amount of pure 100% aloe vera gel. Rubbing it in as a face lotion and a primer all in one. If your skin is really struggeling, you could always add a little bit of tea tree oil to the gel for a all over treatment.

Tea Tree oil---
I like to use tea tree oil as my spot treatment. All you have to do is get out a cotton swab (for ears) I like to cut them in half and dip a clean swab into the tea tree oil, and dot it on any spots I have (after touching to your skin DON'T double dip into the oil, as that will contaminate it.) If the Tea tree oil is too strong, even with the base of Aloe Vera, you can always dilute it with oil, water, ect.

SPF----
After my skin is dry, I apply my mineral sunscreen about a quarter size drop, massaging into my face and neck.

Honey OR Oil Cleanse--Depending on the day, if I wore makeup I will wash it off, if I didn't then I might just skip this step and just wash with water, and tone. But you can just wash as directed above, leaving a mask on if you like. Some people like to do the Oil Cleansing Method, which I do love, but currently stopped doing for now, as it was breaking me out (which is a part of the detox, but couldn't handle it, will try again later)

Treat & maybe try......
So I have read as much about perioal dermatitis as I can, these are all the main at home treatments I have heard about, but definitely let me know if I missed something or if you tried something and had great results! Everyone has different skin, so you may have to try a few different things to try to find what helps you out the most. Good luck! (* means I have tried)